Members of an MTA committee interrogated one of the agency’s top cops Monday morning about the MTA Police’s handling of a high-profile incident this month on board a Metro-North train involving a TV show writer.
The crime in question occurred on Sept. 18, when Alex O’Keefe, a former writer for “The Bear” on FX, allegedly refused to leave a Connecticut-bound train stopped at the Fordham station in the Bronx after police said he was being disruptive. Video circulating on social media shows O’Keefe yelling at police and pointing at passengers on board the train.
“I haven’t done anything illegal,” O’Keefe says in the video as police tell him to stop resisting as they cuff his wrists.
A train conductor reported O’Keefe to MTA Police for being disorderly and having his feet on a seat. Police said an on-board video shows the writer with his feet on the train seat.
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When board members Blanca Lopez and Neal Zuckerman questioned Chief of MTA Police Thomas Taffe about the high-profile incident during the Sept. 29 committee meeting, he responded that O’Keefe was being disruptive.
“The subject was definitely interacting with other passengers,” Taffe said. “He was creating unreasonable noise, reaching over the seat and pointing, according to the video evidence.”
In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, officers asked O’Keefe to leave the train, but he refused.
“He did not get off the train,” Taffe told the board. “He was removed from the train in handcuffs, taken off, put on the platform, issued a summons for the disorderly conduct, released and left to go on the next train.”
But Zuckerman referred to Taffe’s description of the incident as “jargon,” questioning the officer about his department’s response.
“Did the things you just described — standing up, pointing, reaching over, I think is a phrase you used, feet on the seat, interacting with customers, whatever that jargon is, it sounds like terms of art in your profession — does that rise to the level of disorderly conduct?” Zuckerman asked.
Taffe responded that de-escalation was necessary.
“Yes. When you’re arguing with another passenger on a train, our concern is to de-escalate by removing somebody from the train,” he said.
Zuckerman continued to press Taffe on the incident before fellow board member David Mack chimed in, appearing to defend the cop.
“The unfortunate thing is, when people are confronted with a violation, in most cases, they’re abusive, and in this case, the video shows it,” he said. “Why are you two questioning it?”
Zuckerman responded that it is his job to question the response.
“That’s our job, David, to ask questions. This guy, from everything written about him, seemed to be minding his own business. And the only thing reported was his feet on the seat,” he said. “It’s a worthy question, and I thank Blanca for raising it. If you think we should not be asking questions of our law enforcement partners, I think you’re mistaken.”
The three board members then engaged in a dispute about the video of the incident.
“It’s not my job to watch the video. That’s why I asked the cop,” Zuckerman said. “Even if I did see the video, I have no idea what the law in terms of how he’s applying it would be assessed.”
Board members requested additional information as the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, in an Associated Press article about O’Keefe’s ejection, said that passengers need to respect each other.
“The police have to get involved because somebody won’t take his feet off the seat?” he said, later adding, “Just take your feet off the seat. It’s that simple. And respect other passengers. But we’ll take a look at the video and deal with all the dramas that seem to come out of these simple interactions these days.”
